1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a surgical gripping forceps with two gripping jaws movable relative to a main body, wherein each gripping jaw has a pivot pin, fixed in position relative to the main body, and a lever arm, and wherein the lever arms are articulated via at least one push element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Laparoscopic surgery requires a special set of instruments. What all the instruments have in common is miniaturization, for which reason laparoscopic surgery is also known as endoscopic microsurgery. The instruments are introduced into the abdomen through long sleeves having a diameter generally between four and twelve millimeters, usually via Torkar sleeves, and they are operated with manual force outside the abdominal cavity.
In microsurgery, one needs to have both fine gripping instruments for the preparation and also large ones for the extraction of resected organs. Various gripping instruments with a diameter of three, five or ten millimeters are available. On the one hand there are atraumatic forceps and on the other hand toothed forceps. They have gripping jaws that are pointed or broad, fine or large. Sometimes the gripping instruments also have locking mechanisms.
The gripping forceps must be simple and safe to use. This includes a transmission of manual force by the gripping forceps mechanism. It is also advantageous for the gripping forceps, that is, the part which extends out from the Torkar sleeve in the abdomen, to have the fewest parts possible. Few parts always means few movable joints. This lowers the risk of injury and facilitates the disinfecting of the gripping forceps. The latter holds only when the particular forceps is not a disposable kind.
A convention gripping forceps is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,390, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated fully by reference. The gripping jaws of this forceps are mounted on a shared pivot pin. The pivot pin intersects the center line of the main body of the forceps. As a result, and as a detriment, the lever arms formed on the gripping jaws and moved via the gripping jaws are necessarily only relatively short in configuration. As an additional detriment, a separate push element acts on each lever arm of the gripping jaws.